Consultation to start on route of new Preston road

Lancashire County Council will begin consultation at the end of May on the preferred route for a major new road linking Preston and southern Fylde to the M55.

The 4km-long dual carriageway known as the Preston Western Distributor (PWD) is a key element of plans to support new development and economic growth outlined in Lancashire County Council's Highways and Transport Masterplan for the area, and one of four major highway schemes to receive funding under the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal.

The PWD will support planned housing in north-west Preston, improve access to the new Enterprise Zone in Warton, and provide an option to avoid peak hour congestion in the city centre.

The consultation also covers the preferred route for two new roads linked to the PWD, connecting to new and existing housing areas in north-west Preston and Cottam Hall. The East-West Link Road and Cottam Link Road will provide convenient access for local and through traffic to use the PWD, avoiding already congested local routes.

Plans as early as 1974 identify the concept of a westerly distributor road for Preston, and the Central Lancashire Highways and Transport Masterplan published in March 2013 showed an indicative corridor for the road.

The county council has now developed a route within this corridor and is asking people to use the consultation to comment on the council's preferred alignment for the roads. Identifying and agreeing a route, and protecting it from further development, is the first step towards making a planning application in future.

The six-week consultation will take place from Thursday 29 May to Sunday 13 July, with public exhibition! s being held at three local venues during June for people to find out more.

County Councillor John Fillis, cabinet member for highways and transport for Lancashire County Council, said: "We'd like to use this consultation as an opportunity to explain how we've come up with the preferred route for these roads, and to give people the chance to tell us what they think. This is very much a partnership project, we believe that the public are a major part of the partnership, and look forward to working with them.

"Agreeing a preferred route is a very early step in the process of planning the road and there will be further formal consultation as we progress towards a planning application.

"Our transport masterplan for central Lancashire recognised that the existing transport network serving Preston and the wider area is becoming increasingly congested, and that as well as making it easier for people to walk, cycle and use public transport, a number of new roads will be needed to keep the county moving."

Mick Lovatt, director of environment, Preston City Council, added: "The Preston Western Distributor is vital to ensure our road network has the capacity to support new housing and business development on strategic sites identified in the Local Plan, and that the thousands of new jobs and homes promised by the City Deal can be delivered."

A number of public exhibitions are being held for people to find out more, ask questions, and share their views.

Monday 2 June, 10am to 8pm – An exhibition bus will be parked at the Smiths Arms, Lea Lane, Lea Town, PR4 0RP.

Wednesday 11 June, 10am to 8pm – Preston Grasshoppers, Lightfoot Green Lane, Preston, PR4 0AP.

Thursday 12 June, 10am to 8pm – Ashton and Lea Golf Club, Tudor Avenue, Lea, Preston, PR4 0XA.

You can also complete a questionnaire at www.lancashire.gov.uk/haveyoursay.

No! tes for Editors: IF YOU REPRODUCE THE ATTACHED MAP, PLEASE CREDIT AS FOLLOWS: Strapline: © Crown copyright. Lancashire County Council. Licence No. 100023320 2004. The City Deal is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform the area and be a major catalyst for growth over the next decade. It is a £434m ten-year project for Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire, delivering substantial new roads and other transport and infrastructure improvements. Agreed between Preston City Council, South Ribble Borough Council, Lancashire County Council and central government, the City Deal will bring economic growth to the area over the next decade. This includes creating more than 20,000 new jobs and building over 17,000 new homes.

For further information please contact: Mike Warren on 01772 533537